CJ Abrams makes long-anticipated debut at second base for Nationals

Sunday’s game was peculiar for myriad reasons.

From the 12:15 p.m. start to accommodate the Peacock broadcast to the second name announced in pregame introductions. The name itself wasn’t as surprising as the position he played.

At 12:10, the kid public address announcer — Sundays are kids day at Nationals Park — said the words, “Starting at second baseman, CJ Abrams.”

The one familiar thing was the Nationals’ unreliable bullpen imploding in the 6-2 loss to the Marlins. The Nationals haven’t pitched well in the ninth inning this season, but this loss, their 35th blown save of the season, was particularly unsightly.

Tom Cosgrove hit the first batter he faced with the bases loaded and one out to score the first run and allowed a sacrifice fly that tied the game.

But Andrew Pinckney, Jorbit Vivas and Cosgrove compounded the issue by allowing the go-ahead run to score after Pinckney’s throw to third was too high to get Leo Jiménez. Vivas failed to keep the ball in front, and Cosgrove didn’t properly back up Vivas. Cosgrove’s unraveling continued as he allowed three more runs.

“It was a straight-up embarrassing inning,” Cosgrove said. “I didn’t do a single thing right. I didn’t back up the base. I don’t see the runner on third, [and] he’s halfway down the line. By the time I step off and look at him, he’s already home. It was a straight-up embarrassing, pathetic inning.”

It was an ugly loss on an uncomfortable day as Abrams — the National League’s starting shortstop in the All-Star Game — played second base for the first time for the Nationals.

Even as Abrams strolled to the plate and did his customary prepitch routine after “La Introduccion” blared over the PA system, the unusual feeling didn’t dissipate.

Though the move had been anticipated for weeks, it was still jarring to see Abrams run out to second base to begin the day while Nasim Nuñez — a stout defender — manned shortstop.

Fans chanted Abrams’ name after he made a leaping, inning-ending grab in the sixth, and he was quick turning a double play earlier in the game. All in all, his debut was a short-term success.

“I played there in San Diego, so it wasn’t much work I thought I needed,” Abrams said.

Manager Blake Butera said Abrams was ready to play second base the day after he sprained his left ankle in the second of a three-game set against the Rangers. Abrams didn’t receive any ground balls, so it’s hard to discern how he’ll hold up at the position, but Sunday’s game is a demarcation point.

It’s either the beginning of a new era or the point when things dissolve between Abrams and the Nationals. Flipping him to second base in a vacuum is the right move for the Nationals. Among shortstops, he’s tied for last in outs above average (-17) with the Giants’ Willy Adames. Abrams downplayed the significance of playing second base postgame.

“No difference,” Abrams said. “The position is a little bit different, but we got cards, so it’s pretty easy to see where to play.”

The timing shocked the baseball industry. The Nationals (65-74) are firmly out of the wild-card race. Making this move before the trade deadline would’ve made more sense than in late August, when the team is just trying to finish the season strong and build momentum for next year.

Butera and the front office put careful consideration into the decision because it’s a move that is not easily reversible. Once you tell Abrams he’s a second baseman for the rest of the season, you have to be committed to seeing the switch through. But the position change is more delicate than moving a left fielder to right field or a third baseman to first base.

Shortstop has a lot of similarities to the quarterback position in the NFL. It’s an identity as much as it’s a position. You don’t just play shortstop; you are a shortstop. For Abrams, it’s the only position he’s known. Shifting from that spot is as much a mental adjustment as it is a physical change.

Even after Butera announced the decision, Abrams reiterated that he views himself as a shortstop for the long term. The Nationals have shortstop prospects in the minors, but Seaver King is the closest to debuting in the majors and he’s still got to improve his consistency. Last year’s No. 1 pick, Eli Willits, is a sure-handed defender, but he’s years away from impacting the big league club.

The move also has ramifications beyond this season. Abrams will be a free agent after the 2028 season, and shortstop is a more premium position that often demands more money.

The team clearly values Abrams’ offensive production, which is among the league’s best — he’s fifth in the majors among qualified batters in RBIs, 22nd in wRC+ and tied for 14th in homers. But now how do he and the Nationals move forward? Abrams wants to play shortstop, but it’s clear the organization doesn’t view him as one.

The competing viewpoints are going to come to a head at some point, especially after the Nationals shopped him this past offseason and received calls on him at the trade deadline.

But in the interim Abrams has kept his feelings on the switch close to the vest, answering that it’s “just baseball” when asked about playing second base. How the rest of the season plays out could be key in determining Abrams’ future with the organization.

“I’m not sure,” he said of how Sunday’s game could set a foundation for the rest of the season. “We gonna see, though.”

This article has been updated.